I went to the endocrinologist last week. During the late 60’s I had radiation treatments on my neck for severe childhood eczema, a therapy now related to a high incidence of thyroid cancer. Those of us formerly "irradiated children" need to go for regular ultrasounds to keep track of things.
He opens the chart and shows me the latest scan result. Time for another biopsy, he explains. I explain that I had two of those nasty things recently and he insists I only had one.The conversation continues with great detail about the tumor structure, trying to reassure me that something that fast growing was probably a cyst, Something wasn’t right. I glance down at the chart and see the two syllable last name, beginning with a B, ending with an N. Then the first name, five letters in length. Wait a minute, that’s not me! Jeez Luis, give me a heart attack on top of a glowing thyroid. The strange thing was, I know the person to whom the chart belonged.
The bottom line is, I’m still OK, and back into my six month ultrasound schedule. The point of this post is that there are many irradiated people out there who don’t realize their risk of thyroid cancer. Not to be confused with ultraviolet ray treatment, this form of x-ray radiation was given for symptoms of eczema, acne, and tonsillitis, to name a few. They didn’t know that the thyroid soaks up radioactivity like a sponge.
I’m feeling good, but little Grace is under the weather, having had an eyelid growth snipped. Poor girl:
I don’t have to tell you that I’ve had plenty of waiting room knitting activity. Here’s a closeup of Clapotis, 60% finished:
Life's a Stitch 
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